Portrait Photography How To

Many photographers consider beauty retouching a difficult and arcane art. And while you can make this task as simple or as complicated as you want, with the proper tools photographers of all skill levels can dramatically increase the quality of their results.

Prince Meyson is an accomplished Nigerian portrait photographer with a portfolio of gorgeous images and a knack for teaching others how to improve their shooting and editing techniques. But this episode is different from his previous videos we’ve shared, because it has nothing to do with capturing or processing images. Rather, it’s all about the importance of two often-ignored tools that are critical for successfully retouching portraits and other detailed images.

Meyson is known for creating stunning work with a minimum of simple and affordable gear. But he notes that you have to open up your wallet for a couple premium peripherals if you want next level results. At the top of Meyson’s list is the importance of a high-quality computer monitor.

Whether you do your editing using a large external monitor or on a laptop, Meyson says the resolution and color accuracy of your screen is essential. He puts it this way: “Retouching is all about what you see, so if you can’t see blemishes and the color of a person’s skin clearly, how are you going to accurately color-correct skin tones and remove blemishes?”

Bottom line: if portraiture is your thing and you’re serious about beauty retouching, get yourself a premium external monitor or a laptop with the best screen you can afford. The other tool Meyson considers a must is a high-quality graphics tablet, and he explains precisely why. So watch the video, do some research, and save the thrift shop bargain hunting for vintage lenses.

You can find more helpful tips on Meyson’s YouTube channel. And if you want to see some mind-blowing environmental portraits, check out yesterday’s story on the great Gregory Heisler who explains how it’s done.